Oil Pressure

So as I have mentioned previously, my plan was to spin the engine up on the big power drill. I've now done this using a 1/2" square driver with a hexagonal shank in the drill chuck, with the drill set to 2nd gear - slow speed, high torque. The drill drives the engine through the crankshaft nut under the oil pump.

I connected a short hose to trap any fluids coming out of the oil pressure gauge line and take them back to the oil tank. Because of course the timing cover is off, there is a lot of oil in the drip tray which comes from the rear main bearing. 

The plugs are out to reduce the torque required from the drill.

And here it is:

Evidence of oil emerging from the return line. When the drill is running, you can see this pouring out, and you can see it at all eight rockers as well. Its noticeable that the inlet rockers get a lot more oil than the exhaust rockers - Ariel should have adjusted the size of the oil holes (smaller in the inlet rockers) to increase the feed to the exhaust rockers.

After a few minutes on the power drill, the bike is noticeably easier to kick over. Next I refitted the rocker cover studs and I put the tank and the oil pressure gauge back on and ran the test again looking for measurable oil pressure.

At maybe 250 rpm on the drill I am getting something like 25 psi.